Those Who Run, and Those Who Stay Behind
by SaintLuki
Summary: What could have happened? How Erza was saved from the Tower of Heaven, and Gerard's decisions. Because he didn't understand why he didn't stop himself those past eight years, and why he'd hurt Erza so much.  Spoilers up to Oracion Seis Arc, Gerza


**Long time no see, those that still actually read my stories...lol. I thought I was retiring from fanfiction but a burst of inspiration compelled me to write this. I still need to update Doll Master and do something about Wonderland but my Bleach mojo won't come back. ;-;**

**So, on the subject of this story. 1) I use 'Gerard' instead of Jellal. No particular reason, just that I relate better with the name Gerard. 2) This is just my take on what happened in episode 40/41 of Fairy Tail, because they haven't explained what happened to save Erza and such. As you expect, spoilers up to about episode...58 I think. 3) There aren't enough Gerza/Gerard stories in general on , I need to change that. So consider me back just to write about Gerza. Hahahaha...orz**

**I don't consider Gerard a villain at all. I don't think he made a lot of good choices, but he's not a villain. He's had a lot of good character development so I wanted to fill in his thoughts and what might've happened. I really do love Gerard. So do enjoy this piece of drama. xD;**

**Those Who Run, Those Who Stay Behind**

Feeling the rumblings of the breaking tower underneath him, Gerard lay still and stared up at the sky musingly.

He was tired.

Eight years had swept past him already. It vaguely occurred to him that he could have stopped. Anytime in these eight years, he could have simply stopped this stupid plan. Gerard wasn't stupid or blind. He knew he was being used. Ultear…what a stupid woman…she didn't see that she, too, was just being used. There was no paradise or freedom. Reviving Zeref _(revive? How foolish. Zeref was still out there, roaming around. He needed no so-called revival.)_ was just an excuse to himself.

He didn't understand it either, but staring up at the sky made him feel like himself. At home, even, for the first time since parting with Erza for the first time.

He wasn't a strong person. He knew this much. It was because he didn't stand tall in his own resolve. It was because he was weak that this had all happened.

…could he end it, somehow?

As if from a distance, Gerard could hear Natsu Dragneel yelling something incomprehensible. E…E…

_Erza._

_Something had happened to Erza._

He heaved himself back up, staggering up to stare with wide-eyed horror at the scene playing out beyond the pillar he stood behind. Erza, willingly plunging herself into the tower. Natsu, crying and banging his fists against the stone.

Erza…Erza, that idiot.

There wasn't anything to think about. If he could reach the core before Erza did…if he could fuse with it before Erza was swallowed by it…then everything would be okay. She would be all right.

So without another second to spare, Gerard grit his teeth and tore his way into the lacrima. The magical stone accepted him greedily, happy to receive an even more powerful mage than the sacrifice it had already been offered. He understood why Erza had been screaming earlier; contact with the insides of the lacrima burned, like the substance was trying to eat him up immediately. It was thicker than water, but not quite syrupy.

Gerard glanced up at Erza, sinking into the lacrima steadily. He didn't have time to be worrying about a little burning.

So he smiled once at her, tiredly, and dove straight into the darkness of the crystal, forcing himself to swim his way down.

* * *

He found her unconscious, drifting steadily towards the core of the tower.

The core…the control centre.

Gerard reached her, catching her gently. He squinted upwards at what he could see from the core's pulsating light. They'd both come down a long ways…so much that he couldn't see the outside of the tower anymore. The shaking, though, was definitely there. The tower was about to collapse.

If one of them fused with the core, chances were that they could use magic as a directing force and order the lacrima to fire the explosion elsewhere. The core would only accept one person…if Gerard went in, Erza would be safe. The dragonslayer would definitely save her.

"…foolish Erza." He mumbled, smiling down at her sadly. It was just like her to pull a stunt like this. She didn't understand that if she disappeared, many would be saddened by her death.

None would cry over him. So she had to live.

He placed a hand on her forehead, sending her images of a world without her. The farewell her guild members would have to go through, the reaction of the dragon slayer. It was a bad dream. But she would understand if she saw this. She was a smart girl, Erza. Smart, beautiful, kind.

Strong.

An extra rumble reminded Gerard of the peril they were all in, and he pushed her away in the other direction, watching her drift away towards the exit.

Then he turned, and stepped into the core. Ignored the scorching pain of raw magical force and willed the power of the lacrima tower's unstable energy to go **up**. Up, so that Erza would be protected. Up where nobody would be hurt.

Go up.

And before dropping into an exhausted daze, it occurred to Gerard that the blast may destroy the heaven that he knew didn't exist.

* * *

There are just two more things to add to this stage of the story.

The whisper of _"You've gotten strong, Erza."_

As if in a dream, he watched her laugh with Shou and Milliana. He saw the slight ache in her steps as she turned, and heard her thoughts.

_Gerard._

_He directed the blast for us._

_Gerard._

…_I want to see you again, Gerard._

So he replied. She was strong. She would thrive better without him…she was free.

"_You've gotten strong, Erza."_

And the second thing to add.

He stayed, enveloped in that core, for a few days it seemed. He didn't desire rescue, nor did he expect anyone to come looking. The council would eventually come and destroy this tower. Till then, he would have to stay. Till he was destroyed along with the tower and its core.

But rescue came.

Oracion Seis.

Nirvana.

This was his tower. Even deep within the recesses of the tower, he could hear the conversation going on overhead.

Nirvana…he couldn't allow it to fall into anyone's hands.

So he used his own magic and wiped away the memory he had. Of his past, of detailed information he had been privy to as a member of the council.

Everything but that one name, _Erza_.

He didn't know if his magic power at that moment had been enough to take away all of his memory, but this would have to do. And he faded into dark unconsciousness.

* * *

**Dear Readers,**

**I'm sorry for not updating my other stories. Inspiration comes and goes. ;-;**

**The ending didn't make sense xD I didn't want to write in description about Gerard being stuck in that dumb tower or anything, so I just summed it up. My take on what could have happened thought it's hardly likely.**

**So those of you who are up to date on Fairy Tail; do any of you think that Gerard's gonna come back later? Me, I think he will. His role in the story hasn't ended yet. He's gotta regain his memories and bust outta jail and join the good guys' side. I would personally like it if he joined a magician guild since Fairy Tail's Gerard is gone. So I don't get to see two Gerard's running around. FFFFFFF. SO I NEED GERARD TO JOIN FAIRY TAIL, CONFESS HIS ETERNAL LOVE TO ERZA AND THEY CAN HAVE LOTS OF BABIES YES/NO? ;A; *brick'd***

**...but srsly, Gerard must come baaack. ;-; *cuddles Gerard* I'll wait foreverrrr. He needs to have some sort of happily ever after with Erza, she's been too depressed after he got dragged off by the council.**

**Anyway, thanks for reading~**

**-Saint**


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